Earthworks and burial chambers made by [[Men]] in ancient days. In the [[Third Age]], they lay within the bounds of [[Arnor]], and later of [[Cardolan]], and the [[Dúnedain]] used them to bury their dead. The [[Witch-king of Angmar]], though, sent evil spirits to inhabit the [[Barrow-downs]], and they became a place of horror.

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{{objects

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| image=[[Image:Ted Nasmith - Under the Spell of the Barrow-wight.jpg|250px]]

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| name=Barrows

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| othernames=

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| derivation=

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| location=Most notably in [[Barrow-downs]]

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| ownedby=The rich among the dead

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| maker=

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| appearance=Elongated mounds

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| description=Mounds ("barrows") in which the dead were placed with some of their wealth

The mounds of the [[Barrow-downs]] in [[Eriador]] were built in the [[First Age]] by the ancestors of the [[Edain]] and their chieftains were buried there.

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In the late [[Second Age]] and afterwards, the Tyrn Gorthad lay within the bounds of [[Arnor]] and later of [[Cardolan]]. The [[Dúnedain of Arnor|Dúnedain of Cardolan]] used the barrows to bury their dead, such as the last prince of Cardolan, slain in the war of {{TA|1409}}.

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The [[Witch-king]] of [[Angmar]], though, sent evil [[Barrow-wights|spirits]] to inhabit the [[Barrow-downs]], and they became a place of horror.<ref name="Eriador">{{App|Eriador}}</ref>

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On [[28 September]] {{TA|3018}}<ref>{{App|Great}}</ref> [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]], [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]], [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]], and finally [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] were captured by a [[Barrow-wights|Barrow-wight]] when they had wandered the downs after visiting [[Tom Bombadil]]. Within the barrow (believed by some to be that of the last prince of Cardolan<ref name="Eriador"/>) Frodo awoke to see his friends lying on the floor looking deathly pale. He heard a song or incantation and saw a long arm groping towards Sam. Seizing a sword, Frodo hewed off the hand of the arm, then began speaking the rhyme that Tom had taught the hobbits. Tom broke into the chamber and rescued the hobbits, and the sunlight destroyed the wight.<ref>{{FR|I8}}</ref>

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==Etymology==

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A "barrow" (or "berrow"; from English beorg, berg, 'hill, mound') not to be confused with the wheeled vehicle, is a tumulus or other prehistoric grave-mound.<ref name="Nomen">{{HM|N}}, p. 766</ref>

On 28 SeptemberT.A.3018[2]Merry, Pippin, Sam, and finally Frodo were captured by a Barrow-wight when they had wandered the downs after visiting Tom Bombadil. Within the barrow (believed by some to be that of the last prince of Cardolan[1]) Frodo awoke to see his friends lying on the floor looking deathly pale. He heard a song or incantation and saw a long arm groping towards Sam. Seizing a sword, Frodo hewed off the hand of the arm, then began speaking the rhyme that Tom had taught the hobbits. Tom broke into the chamber and rescued the hobbits, and the sunlight destroyed the wight.[3]